Catoctin clarion., 1887-06-02
A CUBAN SUGAR ESTATE.
HOW CANE GROWS AND IS MANU.
FACTUREO INTO SWEETNESS.

sceno on Toledo Observation-Disclosures at
tho Mill-In,nning tho Cane Through
tho Crushcrs-vislt to tho Pineapple
Plantation.
"What say You to joining US on the visit to
the great Toledo sugar estate this nfternoon'
We can go in few hours, and visit the pine
apple plantation as wcll. It's our last chance,
as We sail tomorrow"
We leave at | 80 by carriages to the Mari
nnas railroad station There nrc eight in the
party, including guide. We 20 off in flne
style from the hotcl--only two in a carriage.
How many acres of cane there are i'll the
plantation we won't pretend to say, but evil
IDENTIFY they run into tho hundreds. On the
left the cane has been cut ind stripped, leav-
ing the ground covered with the leaves. On
tho right the gathering is now going on. 1t
is not well to cut faster than it can be ground,
as it dries rapidly, and so is taken to the mill
ns soon as possible to get the maximum OF
juice. The canc grows very large and rank
in this rich soil 1t looks like "A big corn field,
only much thicker and taller in growth.
We approach the mill, which is on the
highest ground, a low, ono story building,
all roof. A long trough, feet wide, -
inches deep and 100 or more feet long, extends
out from the house. The bottom of this is IN
endless apron, always moving toward INC
still. Six or eight big OK carts nre backed up
and unloading the trimmed, fresh cane into
the trough. AS many more are returning to
the field; as many more coming with moro
cane Negro women with "Motlcr llubbards"
OIL stand alongside, strengthening and ADJUST
ing the cane us the big apron with its contents
moves almost impcrceptibly along.
The darl;ics with the carts kindly offer us
bits of cane, which they have whitfield into
edible shape and which they consider deli
carv but us for mo Ill rs soon eat pine saw
dlrt soaked in New Orleans molasscs. Follow
this big moving mass of cane into the mill.
AS it comes in it goes mp one incline and
down another, whore it passes under and be-
tween heavy cast iron rollers, which crush it
c3 easily cs your cook grinds her coffee III the
morning. Way down beoS, ut the end OF
the crushcr, runs n steady stream OF the
"puro juice looking as black rs the old
woman down there on duty. With smile
as bright as stove polish she hands us up a
tin buckctiul We take drink all around
and vote that like the bull fight, "a little OF
this thing Goxsh good way"
The canc after leaving tho crushers, Is
carried by another endless apron ut right
angles to the first up another incline, and
down into n second crushcr, more relentless
thnn the first, which gives it the tinnl squeeze,
when it is spread out on the ground to dry,
ultimately to be used for fuel for engines and
evaporntors Six massive cuginos, and six
others not quite SO massive, furnish the power
for the concern.
- i,,ir
pumped up from the big vat into which it
runs from the crrshrr into heated iron tanks,
rnt N scd from ono 20 another while under
going the process of evaporation, So it goes
along, Gradually thickcnng, until it is at last
thrown into immense shallow iron pans in
crystalliGcl bu: very moist condition. Thore
ore about eight of these pans, thirty feet long
l,v sixteen feet wide, and placed side by side.
1T tie end OF each pan there are two rcntrl-
fuGal dryers, similar in plan to tho wrlnscis
usll !y steam laundries. In each pan, wod-
ing around in the "mush," are three or four
vcry dark complcctcd' negroes, shoveling
the sugar into the dryers. They have on
pan.a reaching ~ their knocs nothing more.
The place i, hot the worl; i, lively, and no
w"ndcr thry p"rspirc so freely. We have
read of these things In books, hut had our
doubts. "sSecin' is bclcvn',' as the old lady
said, and here nre tho "cviienccs' before us.
We console ourselves with the thought that
the "pro rata of pnrspirntion to the pound of
sugar is not large, and that the sugar Is to ho
carefully refined before We get it. NctWlth-
standing this consoloton or "crumb OF COM
fort" there was ultte disposition with us for
day or two to take our coffee with cream
only, but wcll soon forget it and "swceton
up" ms before.
Pass down the stairs where the dryers are
running. So rapid nro their cvoutlonS that
in thirty seconds from the time tho moist
mass goes into the machine it comes out in dry,
amber color.d crystals about tho coalsencSS
of hominv, 1t is shoveled by women into
sacks holding 300 pounds each, and Is stamped
"lnienio Toledo" and is sent in this shape to
the refinery in another part of the island.
Only crude sugar is made here The methods
are similar to those used in the United States,
md are simple but interesting, especially the
"peiSpiration' process.
We have yet to visit tho pineapple planta-
ton We see first tho dwelling of the propri-
etor, showing how people can live if they Will.
Tho walls are Of palm bark; the roof matched
with palm leaves. Tho floor is the earth.
Tho first room sitting or living room. Tho
second is apparently tho dining room; the
third kitchen. There is bulkhcad built
up about three feet high in the middle of tho
room, forming u table OF dirt or sand. On
this is fire smolderinG, and OH the fire u
kettle smmeriIx. About q half dozen grown
chickens nro scratching around i'll the sand
OH the table, and trying now and then to
snatch morsel out Of the pot. The family
consists of a young man, his wifo and two OF
three children aud u nothel-in-law.
Out of doors, under tho big tree which
shades tho house, lies the primitive plow,
straight pointed stick with a rough beam
attached, by which to pull it through the
earth. We walk into tho field. About ten
acres are plants of this year, not bearing.
About ten acres more are Of older growth, and
beginning to bear. 1t is u pretty sight-the
light green of the plants contrasting with the
ricl, rcd soil. They resemble very closely the
African aloe, founl in all our conservatores
The apple grows in the center of the plant
The plants aro almost exact duplicates of each
other as to size and shape The ground is
absolutely free from weeds. Tho perfume
from the ripening apple is lelightful,' and the
pineapple plantation is as thrifty sight and
shows as handsome crop us you will ever
sec. Along the we'll OH tho east side are sew
era curious trees or plants looking somewhat
like big castor bean, but bearing fruit
like big cucumber, which grows out Of the
trunk half way from the ground to the foli-
age and looking like the spout Of pump.
This gives it tho name "fruta bomba' CT
"pump fruit" Whether it's useful or orna-
mental, don't know.-Cor. Courier-J ournal.
Can Sing Eight Octaves.
Baron Arthur de Collard Of Syracuse,
N. Y, enjoys the distinction Of being one Of
the very few men i'll this country, or for that
lnatler thn WORLD who cau sing eight octayes